Studio: Paramount Home Video
Release Date: April 18, 2006
Number of Discs: 3
Number of Episodes: 10
Running Time: 450 Minutes
Package Type: Thinpak
List Price: $39.98
Created by:
Danny Bilson
Paul De Meo
Cast:
Detective James Ellison – Richard Burgi
Blair Sandburg – Garret Maggart
Lt. Carolyn Plummer – Kelly Curtis
Capt. Simon Banks – Bruce A. Young
Chief Joel Taggert – Ken Earl
The Show
In March of 1996 a young and struggling UPN network launched a new unique show called The Sentinel. With a unique mix of standard action cop shows with bits of science fiction The Sentinel would be one of the more successful early shows on UPN resulting in a 65 episodes run.
The show centers around, Jim Ellison, a former Army Ranger who was left for 18 months in a Peruvian jungle after his unit was killed. While in Peru performing the mission he was sent for, the isolation triggered a latent genetic hypersensitivity. After returning home he joins the Cascade Police force, a city striking similar to Seattle. His gift remained dormant until Ellison was sent on an extended isolated stake out. During the resulting conflict with the bad guy, Ellison’s senses go wild, seeing and hearing things that no normal human should be able to.
Worried that he may be losing his mind, he heads to a local hospital where he meets the long haired hippyish Blair Sandberg, a anthropologist from a local University who tells him that he believes that he may be a Sentinel. He tells him that in ancient tribes, Sentinels acted as a sort of scout and protector of the village. He said they were chosen for a genetic enhancement of the senses.
Ellison and Sandberg team up in an unlikely partnership. Ellison has Sandburg hired as an advisor for the Police department. Sandberg works with Ellison to help him develop and control his senses. Ellison becomes a sort of walking and talking forensic unit, able to see, hear, taste, smell, and feel objects that a typical cop wouldn’t be able to. Yet, there are also drawbacks. If Ellison focuses on one sense, the other senses block out, leading him to “zone out.” Sandberg is there to help him control these drawbacks.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from the show. I never watched it during its regular series run, and was only mildly aware of its context. It really wasn’t what I expected. I was expecting a more human based science fiction show along the lines of The Dead Zone or even the X-Files. Yet, The Sentinel is basically a more nuts and bolts action buddy cop show like Walker: Texas Ranger or Nash Bridges. Don’t expect deep searches into Ellison’s past, conspiracies that reach to the highest levels, or even a lot of paranormal story lines. Ellison’s enhanced senses play only a minor role in many episodes, and are more likely to be detrimental than beneficial. Don’t expect any continual “story archs” or cliffhangers. The episodes are all self contained stories. Even the romances don’t last more than an episode.
For the most part, The Sentinel is an enjoyable action series. The relationship between the ever serious Ellison and the more wacky Sandburg is the highlight of the show. Their banter often saves the show when it falls into its formulaic storytelling. Yet, as fun as that relationship is, the other characters are cardboard cutouts going through their roles without much flair. The Sentinel is a fine surface level show, but don’t expect it to go much deeper than the surface.
The DVD:
Episodes:
Disc One:
Episode #1: The Switchman
The Pilot episode has Jim Ellison discovering his special talents during a hunt for a serial bomber who is obsessed with him.
Episode #2: The Seige
Episode #3: Killers
Elllison’s enhanced vision allows him to witness the murder of an undercover officer. Yet, the killer has an iron clad alibi.
Episode #4: The Debt
Disc Two:
Episode #5: Cypher
Episode #6: Night Train
Episode #7: Rogue
Ellison plays a dangerous game with a Rogue CIA agent who stole a sample of the deadly Ebola virus from a local university.
Episode #8: Love and Guns
Disc Three:
Episode #9: Attraction
Ellison becomes distracted by a beautiful women whose pheromones trigger his hypersensitivity during the investigation of some daring jewel heists.
Episode #10: Vow of Silence
Rating: 6/10
Video:
Presented in full Screen Color with an Apsect Ratio of 1.33:1. There are no major issues here. The colors are bright with no noticeable distortion.
Audio:
There is only one audio option, English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround). No noticeable problems.
Extras:
Sadly this DVD offers no extras whatsoever beyond a few previews of upcoming Paramount releases.
